Thread by @jseldin

"We continue to make progress but we still have a ways to go" on countering domestic terrorism, John Cohen, in @DHSgov's Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A), tells @gwupoe & @NCITE_COE

"In some respects, the threat is more volatile than it was in June" per @DHSgov's Cohen, citing the consumption of online content placed by foreign intelligence services as well as terrorist and extremist groups

Narratives being placed online by these foreign intelligence services, other threat actors are "rapidly finding their way into the mainstream media ecosystem" per @DHSgov's Cohen

Information sharing w/state. local authorities is improving, per @DHSgov's Cohen

Area to improve: "We do not yet ahead across the United States a consistent level of capability" for threat assessments at the local level, per @DHSgov's Cohen

Says it is a top priority for @SecMayorkas

US seeing an increase in activity by foreign terrorist groups AND by foreign intelligence services, per @DHSgov's Cohen

W/foreign intel services, "We're seeing a co-mingling of activity" around conspiracy theories meant to drive divides between the US and allies and also around conspiracy theories about #COVID19 & #Election2020, per @DHSgov's Cohen

All threat actors share 1 thing in common - the leveraging of online platforms using the same playbook, per @DHSgov's Cohen

Potential threats on anniversary of the storming of the #Capitol? "We're still evaluating that" per @DHSgov's Cohen

"There's a significant portion of the public...that are being misinformed on a day to day basis" per @DHSgov's

"Depending on where they get their information, they may be being specifically targeted" he says

#disinformation #influenceoperations

"In many cases it may just result in someone being angry...in some cases it actually serves as the source of inspiration for ppl to commit acts of actual violence" per @DHSgov's Cohen

#disinformation #influenceoperations

"This is a very individualized threat" per @DHSgov's Cohen, noting there are individuals who are embracing both #ISIS & #whitesupremacist ideology simultaneously

Says it is now difficult to categorize the threats as a result

"It's a little bit of a challenge to get folks to understand how this fits into the current threat environment" per @DHSgov's Cohen

"It's a nuanced threat..."

Holiday season threat in the US?

"We don't have any specific or credible intelligence that points to a specific spot" per @DHSgov's Cohen, adding there are concerns abt "the steady stream of threat" surrounding #COVID, #Election2020, race issues

.@DHSgov's Cohen says there are additional concerns given the increased opportunities for those looking to conduct attack bcs of the increase in mass gatherings

Advice for the public? "Don't be scared but do be aware" per Cohen

"The communities that distrust us the most are the communities that are being targeted for violence" per @DHSgov's Cohen

Foreign intel efforts to seed #disinformation -"They're highly sophisticated. They're highly persistent" per @DHSgov's Cohen "They study our country. They study the fractures in our society"

Cites #Russia, #China, #Iran

"They are trying to have their conspiracy theories...spread across the broadest base possible" per @DHSgov's Cohen "...have these narratives picked up by mainstream media sources"

Public figures, public officials who mimic or echo these narratives from foreign intel services, threat actors, are making the threat environment more volatile, per @DHSgov's Cohen

"Multiple instances...were we've been able to mitigate the risk of violence" due to the introduction of online narratives from foreign intel services & other threat actors, per @DHSgov's Cohen